The List: 2 Jun 1989 (Issue 95)

(‘ontemplating the bottles on the cold shelf. Rohan Daft got stuck on lager and decided that the only decent thing to do was to write a book about it. "I‘here‘ve been so many books about beer. wine and whisky — I thought there was a place

fora book on lager.‘ Daft had picked

a winner. In the last decade the brew has doubled its market share. building its foundations firmly as a young person's drink. ‘All the old bitter drinkers are literally dying off.’ says Daft with the kind of spunky delivery which characterises his writing. With two year's research behind him. the lager book has finally fermented into print. Daft on Lager. Well. when you’ve got it. ﬂaunt it.

Not that Daft has always been a lager fan. 'I only really found solace in a pint of ( iuinness. or the odd continental brew I happened to discover.‘ he admits in his book. On a trip to the States. he discovered the ‘walk-in' refrigerator in Rips. a liquor store just outside Washington. which held Ztltl varieties of lager from around the world. and his attitude and tastes were changed forever.

In tune with the rest of Britain (lager is now this country’s best-selling beer and sales continue to rise) Daft let his taste buds do the walking. around off-licenses. pubs and other countries to sample and review. though he straight-faced swears he tested all by the 'swill and spit‘ method used by wine-taster.

Among the lager facts that Daft has

accumulated. he is quick to point out that ‘Scots are real lager pioneers. Just turn to the 'l‘ennent's entry.’l do. It‘s a long one. The 'I‘ennent family began brewing in 1556.

business boomed in the eighteenth century and they became the largest exporters of bottled beer in the world. In the leth century they went on to develop what was to become the standard loo]. can used today and to introduce the ‘lager lovlies‘ which Daft describes as ‘brilliant. ifa bit kitsch.‘ In 1%} they became the first company to sell draft lager. a brew

Illustration by Aidan Hughes.

which with the experience ofa

Glasgow pub crawl behind him. Daft describes as “an extremely good pint. with over ltlt) years of history behind

it.‘

With £65 million worth of advertising in 1987 behind the lager industry today. lager is a subject to be reckoned with. .lonathan Ross was stopped from appearing in the '1‘\' ads earlier this year (they are no longer allowed to appeal directly to the youth market ). but it seems that the lager invasion will roll on. like the keen I’R man that he is in his working time. Daft anticipates a stronger interest in a product which has already caught on at the pumps. Below he gives his desert island

dozen.

1. EKU 28. 'I‘he strongest lager in the world? I Iandle with care.

2. PilsnerUrquell. Literally "the original pilsner‘. _()ften imitated but

neverequalledl

3. Budweiser Budvar. The original (‘zech Budweiser. ‘I’rohahly the best lager in the world‘ — Rohan Daft

198‘).

4. Golden Pheasant. Another ('zech. A delicious rich tasting lager that is

lagers.

only available in one place in London — 'I'he Czechoslovakian Embassy. IIard Luck!

5. Rolling Rock. Light and refreshing. My favourite American lager.

b. Sol. "I‘he Sun Beet“. Stick a wedge of lime in the neck of the bottle and consume large amounts of it during a heat wave.

7. Tennents Lager. 'I‘ennents first produced lager in (ilasgow in 1885 so they know their stuff. Siipport your National Lager?

in. Newquay Steam Natural Strong. No additives! A completely natural brew from the other end of the UK. One of the very best British brewed

ll. Steinlager. Voted 'hest lager in the world’ in 1985. (‘lean and refreshing.

12. Brahma. Not only is this a brilliant lager but 1p from each bottle sold goes to help save the Brazilian rain forests. If you can't breath oxygen you can't drink lager-— so buy it?

1)qu About Luger (Sphere [3. 50).

GLASGOW

I The Ubiquitous Chip 1: Ashton lane. 534 511(17. Mon Sun 1 lam- 11pm. A model of simplicity . the (‘hip sery es only one lager on draught. but it's a goodie 7- I-‘urstenhurg. The perfect accompaniment to a hot summer night but stronger than you might bargain for.

I CuI-De-Sacur in Ashton Lane. 33-1 889‘). Mon Sat ltlam 11pm; Sun (v.31) llprn. Watering hole of the West Iind groovcrs. scry cs Becks and Ilarp lager on draught. More variety to be found in their cans and bottles with Red Stripe. Budweiser. l’eroni. Michelob and Rolling Rock to name but a few. I0blomovs I 1o 12: Byres Rout . 33-1 last».

I NegociantSJS 47 I.othian Street.335(i313. .\1on 'I'buisWain-Cain; I‘ri Sat ‘1am 3am; Sun lllam lain. 'l'lie largest (more than twenty )and most eXtitic selection of lagersintown they'cycn hay e a lager list with interesting facts about every beer. which should. for example. stop you emptying your bottle of Duvel to itsdregs(l)uve1 is tw ice-tei‘inented and has a slight sediment ). I-‘ruit lagers (try raspberry flavoured I’ramhosen) from I-‘landers are the most esoteric of the lot - wrapped in tissue-pape r. and with champagne corks cost £2. 111 £2.911and are too weird to be in Daft. I St James Oyster Bar: is ('alton Road. 557 2925.